Sacred Space...

This week, Gloucester is hosting the Three Choirs Festival. An annual event that tours three local counties, including a whole host of musical genious playing an ecclectic mix of classical music, with various poetry and literary events happening on the side. It's not the first things you'd associate with Gloucester locals, but its a fantastic event, apparently one of the largest of its kind in Europe. 

Hundreds, if not thousands of people visit the city and this year, the church has grasped the opportunity for mission in rather creative ways, in addition to hosting most of the events in their ancient and beautifully historic buildings.

They approached me a few weeks ago, asking if I'd be interested in helping set up a creative prayer space in St Mary De Crypt, and I jumped at it. There has been a church on this site for 1000 years. George Whitefield preached his first sermon there and lived 30 seconds down the road. Robert Raikes, the guy who mobilised the sunday school movement lived opposite, and used the school room that are part of this incredible space. Today, there is no 'worshipping community' there, though occasional services are held, and many visitors welcomed. It's a well that needs redigging so to speak. Really excited about what this might begin.

So, we set up a fairly straight forward prayer space; a journey through the Lord's prayer - looking at Thanksgiving, prayer for others, our own requests, reconciliation, guidance and celebration. 

There's been over 100 visitors already, although only a handful of these have actually engaged with the prayer stations. It's hard when you're working with and around so many interesting relics worth reading about. What is interesting though, is that the large old door is open wide, and it's been children dragging their parents and families to come in and pray. They've loved the prayer stations, and complain when they have to leave!! 

It's always special when you get intrigued kids who love exploring and end up evangelising their parents!